precedence

American  

[pres-i-duhns, pri-seed-ns] / ˈprɛs ɪ dəns, prɪˈsid ns /

noun

1. act or fact of preceding. preceding.

2. the right to precede in order, rank, or importance; priority.

3. the fact of preceding preceding in time; antedating.

4. the right to precede others in ceremonies or social formalities.

5. the order to be observed in ceremonies by persons of different ranks, as by diplomatic protocol.

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precedence British  

/ ˈprɛsɪdəns /

noun

1. the act of preceding or the condition of being precedent

2. the ceremonial order or priority to be observed by persons of different stations on formal occasions

   the officers are seated according to precedence

3. a right to preferential treatment

   I take precedence over you

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Etymology

Origin of precedence

First recorded in 1475–85; preced(ent) + -ence

Example Sentences

In this masterwork, as in “The Invention of Love” and “The Real Thing,” Mr. Stoppard’s literary brilliance shone mightily, but the restrained yet fathoms-deep feeling that animated his finest writing took precedence.

From The Wall Street Journal

The company also has a massive copper project planned in the U.S. that, if approved, would likely take precedence over lithium, said RBC Capital Markets analyst Ben Davis in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ultimately, defending Google’s dominant position in search takes precedence over saving money.

From Barron's

They felt that in court "the views of the children's guardian took precedence".

From BBC

The air cargo system generally carries time-sensitive and high-value cargo such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices and tech components whose speed of delivery takes precedence over cost.

From Los Angeles Times